I've never read aloud to my child before. Is it too late to start?

It's never too late to start reading aloud. The academic benefits of reading aloud kick in whenever you begin, whether when your child is born or in 3rd grade. One of the biggest benefits is the opportunity your child will have to learn new words and new ideas. A child's ability to read independently doesn't begin to match his ability to understand what is read until mid- to late elementary school. So by reading aloud, parents can expose their children to ideas, concepts, and vocabulary that would not be accessible otherwise. This storehouse of knowledge is critical for good comprehension. Every time you read a story, expose your child to a new idea, or talk about the meaning of a word, it's like making a deposit in your child's comprehension bank account. Wide reading not only improves a child's vocabulary, it can also improve a child's intellectual growth. Even older children (e.g., in 5th or 6th grade) can benefit from being read to when it comes to learning new words. As you read aloud to your children, define words your child does not know. Suggest words that mean the same thing and words that are opposite. Provide examples of how the word is used in other contexts and point out related words. If you do a lot of traveling by car, buy books on tape and let a professional do the reading aloud. But listen together so that you can talk about what you've heard together.

The academic benefits of reading aloud are well researched and documented, but there are also psychological and emotional benefits. Reading aloud to your children builds shared memories. When parents stop what they're doing and devote time to reading aloud, they send a message to their children that they are important and worthy of time.